How good is your perception of colour? Can you easily discriminate between and order hues? Test yourself here - http://www.xrite.com/custom_page.aspx?PageID=77.
The lower your score, the better, with 0 being a perfect eye for hues and shades, and around 1000 being the default (unordered) score. My best score was 12, with a few errors in the purple-blue spectrum.
Worldle.net lets you create images generated from the frequency of words on your website. Some of them are visually stunning. You can also tweak the colours, fonts, and layout of the images.
[note that your website must have an Atom or RSS feed for this to work]
More game-alicious fun over the weekend at Furnace, the Sheffield based roleplaying convention. In its second year, attendance was up from approx 40 in 2006 to just under 70 this year. Even with increased number, it was a fantastic weekend. I got to meet up with people I haven’t seen in up to a year, made some new friends, and represented the RP community’s female minority fabulously, if I do say so myself.
I played in several games over the weekend. Keary and Rik (a close friend of many years) were there representing the Kult of Keepers, and I took part in Keary’s Call of Cthulhu game on the Saturday morning. As in any good Cthulhu game, we ended up mad and indentured for eternity. The game overran a bit, so by the time I’d gotten myself something to eat, I was too late to sign up for an afternoon game. Instead, I spent the time writing up an adventure to run on the Sunday.
Saturday evening saw me in Dom’s Savage World’s 2300AD game, on a bug hunt in deep space. Station Arcturus had been taken over by aliens, so it was down to the US Marine Corps and French/Australian liaisons to get it back! Cue bad accents, blazing guns, and none too subtle references to Aliens. Lots of fun.
Saturday night I ended up lending my spare bedroom and living room to Steff and Keary, who needed somewhere to sleep for the night. Good guys, both of ‘em.
Sunday morning I was a bit nervous - after a couple of months of GMing on Thursday nights down at the Old Queen’s Head, I decided to try running a game of Scion: Hero. It’s one of the newer White Wolf releases, and I’d never run it before, save for a quick intro last Thursday night. I didn’t think I was going to get enough players to run it at first, but after a last minute round up, I got 5 people round the table - Tim, Matt, Graham, Ric and Russell - and ran a game heavily lifted from the book. Happily, it went very well indeed, and I’ll be running some more Scion from now on at the Thursday night sessions. Of course, as Graham told me, that means I’m now obliged to run more at Furnace 2008. At least I have a year’s practice ahead of me!
Sunday afternoon was Graham’s Fading Suns game - sci-fi and sneakiness as we tried to hunt down a jump key without the many other quick fingered villains getting their hands on it first. Might have helped if we’d been a bit more discreet about who we were talking to!
Great atmosphere all weekend - couldn’t have asked for a better time.
I was up at a horrendously early hour yesterday, in order to meet up with Graham, one of the Thursday night roleplayers. Tom and Matt were picking us up from Meadowhall to drive down to Milton Keynes for a small roleplaying conference called Concrete Cow. [If you know nothing about roleplaying, or think it’s sad or boring, you might want to skip down to the very end, because I’m about to unleash my inner geek and most of it will probably be indecipherable to a non-roleplayer!]
I was really excited about going down there, because there were several games on I was hoping to play in. The Call of Cthulhu team, Kult of Keepers, of which my friend Rik is a member, would be there to run some games. In addition, there would be two writers for White Wolf (Stew Wilson and Wood Ingham) running Werewolf and Vampire games respectively. As game signups were on the day, I was keeping my fingers crossed that I’d get there before the game slots were fully booked. Despite Tom’s satnav initially leading us astray by several miles, we made it to Wolveton just before the official start of 10am. I made a beeline for the signup table, and to my delight managed to get a place in all three of the games I wanted to play in – Cthulhu in the morning slot, Werewolf in the afternoon, and Vampire in the evening.
The Cthulhu game was run by Paul Fricker, and was loosely based on Reservoir Dogs, although of course with a creeping horror twist. When we were handed the pre-generated character sheets and info on our characters, the first thing that jumped out at me was ‘You are an undercover cop’. That’s me dead, I told myself. Amazingly, no-one in the party figured out I was a cop. Instead, the poor guy who had been shot in the arm by a pursing police officer at the start of the adventure was strongly suspected of being the plant. I survived the game, if you can call dwelling as a torn soul for all eternity in Carcosa surviving. Honestly, that’s got to be some kind of win in Cthulhu, given the normal win is a descent into irreversible gibbering insanity!
Stew’s Werewolf game was my first experience of White Wolf’s World of Darkness since they’d reworked the whole game world after the Time of Gehenna stuff. I have to admit that the new system is very smooth – a lot more so than the old system could often be, which of course is the idea. I’d originally turned my nose up at what I’d thought was a cop-out reset, but I’ve definitely since revised my opinion. We played an adventure in which we were pitted against cultists and their ‘dirty work’ arsonists who wanted to raise the spirit of the Great Fire of London. Stew had pre-generated starter characters, but we either got really lucky, or he needs to revise the stats, because come the end game we completely ploughed through the bad guys, and then took down the great spirit in 2 rounds. Some great moments in the game, with my personal favourites being the roll that enabled me to catch and immediately defuse a Molotov cocktail as it was thrown through a window, and the rule of re-rolling 10s that, in a hideously lucky rolling of the dice, got me a 33 on initiative when the average is more like 10. Cue dropped jaws from the other players.
Wood’s Vampire game was actually a playtest. He’s writing for a new supplement called Requiem for Rome, based (unsurprisingly) in the time of the Roman Empire. He’s a very energetic storyteller, and it’s obvious he’s done a load of research in prep for the book. The game was set at the time of Constantine’s defeat of Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312AD, and dealt with the aftermath and a supernatural twist. There are some new introductions in the supplement that I think the Vampire fans are going to like a lot, with a new sub-system, a new clan, and, I’m fairly sure, a lot of history on the Roman Empire, including lifestyle and beliefs and culture.
All but one of the players of the Vampire game had also played in the Werewolf game – a good group of guys. As playtesters, we’ll be credited when the adventure is published, although I don’t know whether that’ll be in the Requiem for Rome book or in the adventure as a standalone download from White Wolf.
I got chatting briefly to Wood after the game – he said he lived down in Swansea, and I mentioned I’d lived in South Wales for a time – Cardiff and Pontypridd. One of the players from the Vampire game, Alex, said, “University of Glamorgan?”
“Yeah, that’s right,” I replied, a little surprised.
“I thought I recognised you,” he said. “I was there when you were.”
I was flabbergasted. I’d thought during the game that he vaguely reminded me of someone, but I was thinking of a guy I’d known in Cardiff, not someone who’d gone to Glamorgan.
“Yeah,” Alex went on to say, “I remember a short lived Vampire game.”
Well, colour me amazed. I’m embarrassed to say that I didn’t remember him, so I don’t know if we had much interaction, but it’s one hell of a small world.
The sessions ended around 10.45pm, and Tom, Matt, Graham and I left by 11pm to drive back to Sheffield. Tom dropped me off at around 1am, and I flaked pretty soon after that.
If the forthcoming Furnace roleplaying conference up here in Sheffield goes as well, it’ll be a fantastic weekend.
Guide books are great sources of information when you’re off on your travels. I took the Rough Guide to Egypt with me, but I saw just as many people leafing through Lonely Planet. Either way, they you lots of useful hints and tips. There’s some things that they don’t tell you, though. That’s the stuff you have to figure out, often through painful or embarrassing experience. I thought I’d mention a few things for anyone visiting or considering a holiday in Egypt.
Disclaimer - This is definitely not intended to be disrespectful or anti-Egyptian; it’s just what I found on my travels. Others may have entirely different experiences. I did have a great time in Egypt, and what’s not mentioned in this post - the sights, the sounds, the good times - is definitely mentioned in previous entries.
Arriving at Cairo airport:
On arrival, if you haven’t got a visa before leaving your home country, you need to get one before going through passport control. No-one mentions this, and there are no handy signs to warn you in advance. I waited in the queue at passport control for over half an hour, and then got sent to the back again because I hadn’t got a visa. There are several bank kiosks just before the passport queue, where you buy the visa that they stick in your passport. It costs around £GBP10.
After passport control and baggage collection, it’s out to the main hall. It’s likely you’ll be immediately accosted by touts asking if you want a taxi. If you say yes, they’ll try to take your suitcase off you to help you to the car. They will expect extra money for this, so either keep hold of your suitcase yourself or have a £E1 note handy.
On tipping:
You will tire of hearing the word baksheesh. Strictly speaking, I believe it means blessing, but in the normal context it means ‘give me money’. People will ask for baksheesh for many, many things - helping you with your bags (even if you don’t want them to), pointing the correct way to a landmark or street, taking a photograph of them, getting them to take a photo of you, providing toilet paper in a public toilet - or even for no reason, as is often the case with young children. If you think the tip is deserved, e.g. room cleaners in a hotel, then pay something, but don’t feel obligated to stump up cash for nothing. A fair tip is only £E1-2.
Taxis:
I know, my posts made it seem like I obsessed over them a bit - but unless you want to brave public transport like the buses or metro (and I didn’t want to venture there), taxis are the best way of getting around if the heat is too much for you to stomach walking any distance.
To take a taxi, just flag one down on the street and tell them your destination before getting in. They’re black and white, and extremely plentiful. They’ll even pull over if you don’t need one, and ask if you need a ride anywhere. Drivers are not obliged to take a fare, and if they don’t want to go to a certain destination then they’ll refuse and drive off.
The fare meters in taxis are never turned on. In general, prices are not agreed beforehand either, although those taxi drivers who want to get away with overcharging will often quote a price in advance. When you reach the destination, get out of the taxi and then pass the driver the money. Try to have the correct change or you’ll leave yourself open to being fleeced or hassled. No-one ever has change, it seems.
Acceptable fares:
From the airport to the city centre - £E40.
From downtown to the Pyramids or Heliopolis - £E15.
From downtown to Khan El-Khalili or Islamic/Old Cairo - £E5-7.
A hop across the city centre - £E5.
If the driver complains when you hand him the money when you know it’s a fair fare, and he refuses to take it, leave the fare on the passenger seat and walk away. Be firm.
On the roads:
Drivers in Cairo are, without exception, crazy. Cars are invariably boxy and beat up affairs, and the driving style is homicidal. Drivers weave in and out of traffic, communicating with other drivers through a complicated system of horn usage which, as far as I can tell, can mean anything from, “I’m coming through, make room,” to “What the hell are you doing, you idiot?”
There are traffic police all over the place, but they make little difference to the way of driving. Adherence to traffic signals is optional, so for God’s sake, be careful crossing the road. If a car does seem like its going to run you over as you cross, the done thing is to keep walking confidently whilst sticking your hand out as if you can stop it hitting you. Pray.
Purchases
Very rarely will you find price labels in general stores, the kind that sell drinks, snacks, cigarettes, etc. This is because there are two prices - the Egyptian price, and the tourist price. This is a country where haggling is pretty much compulsory. Again, the idea is to be firm. If they quote a vastly inflated price, laugh and tsk and quote a fairer one. You’ll still probably pay a little bit more than an Egyptian, but when you’re haggling over what amounts to mere pennies, only the most frugal travellers will object.
For a bottle of water, a can of Coke, or fresh juices (mango is gorgeous) - £E2-3. I was quoted anything up to £E8.
A packet of crisps (potato chips) - £E1.
A bar of chocolate - £E1-2.
Health
Don’t drink tap water. Cheap bottled water is there for a reason. Drink plenty of it - dehydration is not good.
Don’t eat unpeeled fruit.
Most places do have Western style toilets, but many won’t have toilet paper. Little tissue packets come in handy.
Cairo can be very humid. I highly recommend making sure your accommodation has air conditioning.
Cities are active well into the night. If you value your normal sleeping hours, find accommodation with good sound insulation, or invest in ear plugs.
Sun tan lotion is your friend, as is head protection from the sun - think scarf, hat, bandana.
Hassle/hustle/haggle
In terms of personal wealth, Egypt is a poor country. Wages are poor, and tourism is a vast source of income. As a result, vendors are always trying to get you to buy from them. You’ll often be approached by people with the intent to usher you into their shops. The two invariable starter questions - What’s your name? Where are you from? If you want none of it, ignore them and keep walking. If you want to be polite, greet them but keep walking. If you follow them into the shop, you get the hard sell, even if you’re told, ‘No hassle here, no obligation’. If you want to buy, it’s much better to go into a shop where you weren’t hustled in off the street.
The problem is, Egyptians are friendly in general, but it’s so hard to tell who is just being friendly - just saying hi - and who’s out to make money off you.
The other trick you’ll get is the outright con. I was on my way to the Egyptian Museum when a guy struck up a conversation with me and asked where I was going. I pointed at the Museum, and he shook his head and told me the museum was only open to groups until midday, so why didn’t I come and get a drink at his shop until then? Don’t believe it. The other one to watch out for is people telling you that the shop is government registered, and is therefore very respectable and honest and won’t try to overcharge you. Again, meaningless.
When haggling with vendors, especially when it comes to souvenirs and tourist tat, a decent rule of thumb is to initially offer 30% of the price quoted to you. They’ll laugh, they’ll protest, they’ll point out the quality of the item and how they have many tiny children to feed, but you’ll see the price come down slowly, and you can raise yours if you wish to find a happy compromise. The price will often come down even further if you try to leave the shop. Remember though - don’t feel forced to buy if you’re not sure. Also remember that a fair deal works both ways. It’s their livelihood, and while it’s not right for them to vastly overcharge you, you shouldn’t try to vastly undercut their profits either.
Women
You can happily travel on your own as a woman around Egypt, but expect attention. Unless you’re somewhere blatantly touristy like Sharm El-Sheikh or Dahab, don’t wander around in shorts, miniskirts, and strappy or lowcut tops. A Cairene friend told me that the perception of Western women by Egyptians is heavily influenced by Hollywood, and the appearance of women as sex objects. Even dressed relatively conservatively (cropped trousers and t-shirts most of the time) I was propositioned many times. The stock question seems to be ‘Are you married?’, followed by the comment that they would like an English wife. I generally lied and said I lived with a partner. Don’t say you’re gay, even if it’s true. Homosexuality continues to be a taboo in Egypt.
Useful phrases
Although many people speak fair to good English, a little effort at the native language always goes down well.
Yes - aiwa
No - la
Please - min fadlak
Thank you - shokran
Hello - ahlan w-sahlan
Goodbye - ma’a salaama
Leave me alone / Don’t touch me - sibni le wadi
Enough / finished - khalas
Written Arabic numbers
Useful to learn, as some numbers in Arabic look like ours, but are actually different. For example, a ‘0′ in Arabic is ‘5′ in English. Their ‘6′ looks like our ‘7′. ‘1′ and ‘9′ on the other hand are the same as in English.
Sharm El-Sheikh Airport
If you plan on eating at Sharm airport, take food with you instead of buying it there. The prices are beyond belief.
Leaving from Cairo Airport
Cairo Airport has 2 terminals. By default, the taxi drivers will take you to Terminal 1, but most English/US flights leave from Terminal 2. Check before you go or you’ll end up having to take a second taxi when you realise you’ve made the mistake.
There’s a lot more to Egypt than you might think. Like anywhere else, there’s good things and bad things. It’s well worth it to take the chance, though. Ultimately, have fun. It’s all an experience.
The BBC News website has posted a story today about a convicted murderer who has re-requested the right to father a child via artificial insemination. He and his wife, who he met via a penpal scheme when she was also in prison, believe that their previously turned down request is a violation of the Human Rights Convention.
All kind of thoughts come to mind at this request. There’s the nature/nurture debate - would the child of two convicted criminals, one a murderer, be psychologically stable? Should a convicted man have the right to conceive a child whilst in jail? Isn’t one of the points of incarceration to punish the criminal for wrong doing, and keep them away from society? The request stems mainly from the fact that his wife will likely be too old to conceive by his earliest release date, and at 48 may well encounter difficulties anyway. The couple claim that their “rights to respect for private and family life” and “rights to marry and found a family” are being violated. When you’re convicted of a crime, those rights - the rights of a free man - should be forfeit until such time as you’ve completed your sentence.
How dare they argue that his rights are violated? Does his murder victim have any chance to have children and see them grow up? It may be unfortunate for Mrs Dickson, who is now free and wants to father a child with her husband, and others may well argue, but I sincerely hope that the European Court of Human Rights upholds their previous decision.
According to my website statistics, over the past year this site has been accessed from the countries in red above. I’m pretty impressed at the global spread, but it looks like I need to attract more visitors from Asia and Africa!
I visited the Millenium Galleries in the town centre on Saturday to take some pictures, and went into an exhibition called ‘Art at the Rockface’. No photography was allowed in there, but there were some great pieces. The exhibition was all about the use of and inspiration from natural materials - so there were things like marble busts, crystal and mineral carvings, sculptures, and jewellery, and landscape paintings using paints like cadmium and ochre. Really liked it.
There was one installation that really stood out for me. A standing stone found in Wiltshire was on display, and it had a carved memorial to a man of the time. Underneath the stone were pencils and card for people to write on, and a little notice telling people to write down how they’d want to be remembered. The cards could then be displayed in slots beside the stone.
One of the cards read:
“I want to be remembered simply as a human; no greater or less than anyone else, but as an equal.”
I thought that was really touching. I wondered if it was a plagiarised famous quote, but I haven’t found it anywhere else.
I wrote a card myself too.
“I don’t need fortune, and I don’t want fame. All I want is for someone to remember my name.”
A simple game, devised while reading Wikipedia, a six-degrees-of-separation sort of thing:
1. Choose two completely unrelated nouns. I chose Pontypridd, the Welsh town I went to University, and Augusta (Georgia), where I often go to visit friends.
2. Through clicking on links in Wikipedia only, get from your first wiki entry to your second choice in the fewest number of clicks possible.
For me, I did it in 7 clicks:
Pontypridd -> Tom Jones (who’s from Ponty) -> Treforest (born specifically in this area of Ponty) -> University of Glamorgan (located in Treforest) -> University -> List of USA Universities -> Georgia universities -> Augusta (where the Augusta State University is located).
I’ve never really been a big fan of South Park. I’ve seen some episodes, and I know the names of the characters, and whilst it can be funny, it can also be pretty gross (Mr Hankey, anyone?). I couldn’t miss the story on the BBC News website recently though about Isaac Hayes, voice of Chef, and his quitting of the show because it lampooned his ‘religion’, Scientology. I use the term religion loosely because… well, that’s a whole other post.
Anyway, the creators of South Park, never ones to miss out on a chance to twist something into a parody of itself, have come up with a new episode. They’re killing off the Chef, with another thinly veiled poke at Scientology. If I ever I watched an episode of South Park, it would have to be this one. Courtesy of the BBC, a synopsis of the new episode:
In the new show, Chef is brainwashed by the “Super Adventure Club” - thought to be a veiled reference to Scientology. The other characters are angry at “that fruity little club for scrambling his brains”.
Hayes did not participate in the episode but his lines were apparently patched together from previous recordings.
Chef arrives after travelling the world with the Super Adventure Club and repeatedly tells the children he wants to “make sweet love” to them. The children take him to a psychiatrist and then a strip club, where he remembers his love for women and is cured. But he is brainwashed by the Super Adventure Club again - before falling off a bridge and being burned, stabbed and mauled by a lion and a grizzly bear.
Genius.
